Woven-wire-fence clamp.



J. FISHER. WOVEN WIRE FENCE CLAMP. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 190a.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB FISHER, OESAC CITY, Iowa.

WOVEN-WIRE-FENCE CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 9, 1908. Serial No. 452,213.

comparatively light structure, adapted to readily crimp heavy strands or line wires, whereby the same are effectually prevented from slipping when a wire stretcher is in operation.

The invention also has for its object to provide a device of this character equipped with a central draft connection, adapted to equalize the strain on the clamp and to prevent the latter from concentrating at one point and capable of enabling a wire stretcher to be advantageously operated on uneven ground.

lVith these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in, the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a woven wire fence clamp, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the relatively movable clamping bar or member. Fig. 4'. is a central horizontal sectional view of the clamp and the double chain hook. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the clamp. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View of the upper portion of the clamp, illustrating the manner of connecting the upper end of the truss rod with the relatively fixed clamping bar or member.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

The clamp embodies two vertical clamping bars or members 1 and 2, having inner interfitting crimping faces adapted to bend or corrugate the line or strand wires of wire fencing, whereby the latter is prevented from slipping during the operation of the Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

device and when the wires are placed under 6 a high tension. The bar or member 1 is provided 111 its inner face with a longitudinal groove or channel 3, and the other bar or member 2 is provided with a longitudinal rib 1, corresponding with and adapted to force the line wires 5 into the groove or channel 3, as clearly illustrated in dotted lines on Fig. 4 of the drawing. The crimp ing faces of the bars or members may be variously constructed to produce the desired crimping of the wires.

The bar or member 1 is equipped with central, end and intermediate guide boxes 6, 7 and 8, each composed of spaced sides and connecting front and rear portions, the rear portlon being secured tothe outer or rear face of the bar or member 1 by a bolt 8 piercing the said bar or member 1 and the rear end of the boxes and having its head counter-sunk and arranged flush with the bottom of the groove or channel 3. The

outer ends of the bolts are threaded to receive'nuts, which engage the outer faces of the rear ends of the guide boxes. The bar or member 1 fits snugly within one end of each of the guide boxes, and the sides thereof pro- -ject horizontally from the side edges of the said bar or member 1. The front connecting portion or end of each guide box is preferably thickened or enlarged centrally, as shown, and is provided in the thickened or enlarged portion with a threaded perforation 9 for the reception of operating screws 10. The operating screws 10, which have tapered'inner ends 11 for engaging the relatively movable crimping bar or member 2,

are provided at their outer ends with eyes 12,

adapted to be readily passed through fine meshes of woven wire fencing and capable of being readily gripped the claw of a hammer to enable them to be conveniently operated for crimping the woven wire fencing. The eye 12 is also adapted to receive one of the members of a pair of pincers, or other tool, whereby the adjusting screw may be conveniently operated. The relatively movable bar or member 2 is also removable from the guide boxes of'the clamp, and it is The clamp is strengthened at one side by a longitudinal truss rod 14, extending from the top to the bottom of the clamp and supported at intervals by each of the guide boxes, which are provided with horizontally projecting portions. The upper and lower end clamps are equipped with integral lugs 15, forming short arms and provided with perforations for the reception of terminals 16 of the truss rod, the terminals 16 being threaded and equipped with nuts 17 for engaging the lugs 15. The central and intermediate guide boxes are provided with integral horizontal arms 18 and 19, extending from the same side of the clamp and provided at their outer ends with grooves 20, forming seats for the truss rod and conforming to the configuration of the same. The truss rod is oppositely inclined, and the horizontal arms serve as struts for spacing the truss rod from the clamp. The horizontal arms and the horizontally projecting lugs are arranged to support the truss rod contiguous to the line of draft, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the truss rod being in position to fit against the woven wire fencing at one'side thereof without defleeting the same.

The clamp is preferably engaged by a double chain hook 21, composed of twosubstantially hook-shaped sides, arranged at an angle and converging toward a draft chain 22. The double chain hook is provided at the proximate ends of the converging sides with a connecting portion or head 23, bent laterally at the inner portion to arrange the outer portion and the chain in the line with the draft, and bifurcated to form a slot or opening 2% to receive one of the links of the chain and to provide upper and lower lugs 25, which are pierced by a vertical bolt 26. The upper and lower spaced lugs are located opposite the proximate ends of the hook-shaped sides and the said connecting portion, which is solid, is adapted to prevent the hook-shaped sides from either drawing together or spreading. The bolt 26 also passes through one of the links of the chain 22, and is removable from the perforations or openings of the lugs to detachably and adjustably connect the chain of the stretching mechanism with the hook. The converging sides of the double hook straddle the central guide box and enable the bars or members 1 and 2 to be centrally clamped without interfering with the central arrangement of the wire stretching means. The double hook also equalizes the strain and prevents the same i from being concentrated on the clamp at a single point. Also the double chain hook will prevent lateral twisting of the clamp and will be found particularly advantageous in stretching fence wires over uneven ground.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A clamp of the class described comprising wire-clamping members, a truss rod extending longitudinally of the clamp throughout the length of the same, central, intermediate and end guide boxes receiving the clamping members and each provided with an integral projecting portion receiving the truss rod and arranged to support the same in a position contiguous to the line of draft, and means carried by the boxes for operating'the clamping members.

2. A clamp of the class described comprising wire-clamping members, a truss rod extending longitudinally of the clamp throughout the length of the same, central, intermediate and end guide boxes receiving the clamping members, the end boxes being provided with lugs and the central and intermediate boxes having horizontal arms, said lugs and arms being arranged to support the truss rod, means for securing the ends of the truss rod to the said lugs, and adjusting devices carried by the boxes for operat ing the clamping members.

3. A clamp of the class described including wire-clamping members, a central box receiving the members and having means to cause the members to clamp and release the wires, a double hook made of a single piece and composed of two substantially hookshaped sides arranged in the same vertical plane and spaced apart to. permit the box to extend between them and engage the members, and a solid connecting portion adapted to prevent the hook-shaped sides from spreading or drawing together and provided with an opening and bent laterally at its inner portion and having its outer portion arranged centrally of the device in line with the draft to prevent lateral twisting of the clamp, and means for connecting stretching mechanism with the double hook.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JACOB FISHER.

Vitnesses G. S. SWEARINGEN, ELMER Cox. 

